Page 3 - RFCUNY-2010AnnualReport

Consider the following:

• In December 2010, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development released the results of a 2009 test of 15-year-old students in 65 countries, known as PISA (Program for International Student Assessment). The results generated concern throughout the United States over the relatively poor scores American students received in science, reading, and math. Of the three areas, the United States’ most disappointing performance was in math, tying for 32nd place with Ireland and falling below the average score. The results in science were not much better. The United States ranked 23rd, one point above the average score. Our best showing was in reading, where we tied for 15th place with Poland and Iceland. Yet only Luxembourg spends more money per student than the United States. 1

• In December 2010, New York City announced an initiative to develop a new engineering and applied sciences research campus to bolster the city’s innovation economy. According to the press release issued at the time, Mayor Bloomberg said, “…[R]esearch in the fields of engi-neering, science and technology is creating the next generation of global business innovations that will propel our economy forward. New York City has all the ingredients to complement an applied science and engineering hub—a highly educated global population, unparalleled financial and business community to provide capital and support for new ventures and exist­ ing top-notch institutions performing cutting-edge research. We want to capitalize on those strengths.” The release further stated, “As the demand for talent outpaces supply around the world, it is important that New York City take steps to increase its pool of engineering faculty and graduate students, as well as research expenditures. Other countries are already investing heavily: research and development spending in Asia is predicted to overtake U.S. levels in the next five years, thanks primarily to striking growth in R&D investment in China.” 2

How do we reconcile the goals in the second bullet point above with the realities in the first? How do we move beyond headlines about the worrisome state of educational attainment and performance in the United States and prepare the nation to meet the challenges already upon us and the ones yet to come?

Letter from the Chairman of the Board and the President

1) http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/34/60/46619703.pdf

2) http://www.nyc.gov/portal/site/nycgov/menuitem.c0935b9a57bb4ef3daf2f1c701c789a0/index.jsp?pageID=mayor_press release&catID=1194&doc_name=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nyc.gov%2Fhtml%2Fom%2Fhtml%2F2010b%2Fpr512-10.html&cc =unused1978&rc=1194&ndi=1

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